Explore My Self-Tracking Data (Quantified Self)

This visualization is created automatically from my self-tracking data — 5 years of it. I invite you to explore it. When the visualization page opens, hover over the event labels along the bottom axis, or over the graphs to get more details. Try zooming in to different time intervals using the buttons at the upper left. Ready? Click here to go!

Quantified Self show-and-tell on HealthESeat

At the QS Conference on Saturday, Sept 15, I’m presenting an experiment which I call HealthESeat. The goal is to make computer ‘seat time’ more healthful by adding moderate exercise without interfering with intensive computer work (I like to program!). Naturally, everything is monitored and measured digitally. If you aren’t attending the conference, here’s a video from the slide deck:

Gamification Experiment

I was curious about the effects of gamification on use of my HealthESeat, so I hacked together an interface from the pedal speed to control a driving/flying simulation based on Google Earth. You can pedal and fly anywhere in the world. Here’s a video of this experiment:

Would you like to try out the simulator? You’ll need a modern browser with the Google Earth plug-in installed. Since you don’t have a HealthESeat, you’ll have to drive/fly with your keyboard, but I think you’ll still have fun. Here are the keyboard commands: (Note: except for the Fly and Land commands, you have to hold down or press the key repeatedly, not just poke it once.)

G to Go (whether driving or flying — basically the throttle).

left-arrow and right-arrow to steer (driving or flying)

F to Fly (only available when your speed exceeds 150 mph)

L to Land (only available once you are flying)

up-arrow and down-arrow to climb or dive (flying only)

space-bar is the brake (only when driving, of course)

Many other keys are active, but I’ll let you discover them yourself. Just remember, you’re not getting any exercise this way, so don’t overdo it! You’re now flight-qualified so click here.